英國環境部長米利班德（David Miliband）12日承諾，英國所有中央政府部會及局處將在6年內達到碳平衡（carbon neutral），意謂著政府機關排出多少碳，就必須減排多少碳。他表示，此項因應全球暖化而減少二氧化碳排放的許諾，部分是要在環境永續方面，展現出足堪企業及消費者典範的行動。
據估計，若政府機關能達到碳平衡目標，也能夠滿足另一項碳排放減量目標──在2020年之前減少30%排放量。米利班德說，這項措施預估能減少80萬公噸的碳排放，功效相當於道路上的車輛減少75萬輛。
另外，由企業團體主導的獨立小組「永續採購特別小組」，12日提出一份報告書，建議政府從二氧化碳排放、能源效能、廢棄物、資源再利用、生物多樣性與水資源消耗等六大層面達成永續目標。該小組由席姆斯爵士（Sir Neville Simms）擔任主席，成員包含若干公、私部門之資深人員。
英國首相布萊爾與米利班德正採取行動回應該份建議書。布萊爾12日與該特別小組會面即表示，他希望政府能作為表率，「政府單位每年支出金額達1,500億英鎊，若能改變我們花錢的方式，幫忙遏阻氣候變遷，保護我們的環境；政府將能對整體社會發揮巨大的影響力。」布萊爾說：「該份建議書指出了前進的方向，我們將嚴肅考慮其建言。」
除了溫室氣體排放減量以外，政府機關還設立了其他永續目標，例如：2020年之前減少垃圾製造量達25%，同時提高資源回收再利用率達75%。
All UK central government departments and their agencies will be carbon neutral within six years, Environment Secretary David Miliband pledged Monday. This promise to reduce carbon dioxide emissions linked to global warming is part of the government's attempt to "model environmentally sustainable behavior to business and consumers," he said. Becoming carbon neutral means that government bodies must prevent as much carbon emissions as they produce.
Once carbon neutrality is reached, the government has set an additional target to reduce carbon emissions from government offices by 30 percent by the year 2020. The measures to make government buildings carbon neutral will save at estimated 800,000 metric tons of carbon - the equivalent of taking 750,000 cars off the road, Miliband said.
Blair and Miliband were responding to a report published Monday by the independent Sustainable Procurement Task Force. This business-led group is chaired by Sir Neville Simms and includes senior figures from both private and public sectors.
The task force recommends targets in six areas - carbon dioxide emissions, energy efficiency, waste, recycling, biodiversity and water consumption.
Meeting with task force leaders Monday, the Prime Minister said he wants his government to lead by example. "The government spends £150 billion (US$275.7 bn) a year on goods and services. Changing the way we spend this money, so it helps prevent climate change and protects our environment, could have a huge impact," said Blair. "This report points the way forward, and we will look seriously at its recommendations."
The government is also setting new sustainability targets for government offices buildings in areas other than climate emissions. It will attempt to reduce the waste generated by 25 percent by 2020, and to recycle 75 percent of the waste by that date.
